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Buddhism and Taoism

RedPillAddictRedPillAddict
edited November 2007 in Buddhism Basics
Can somebody please explain the difference to me?
Is Taoism a newer "branch" off of Buddhism?
What are the major differences?

Comments

  • OneSunTempleOneSunTemple
    edited November 2007
    Taoism is the ancient or native religion of China. Buddhism came from India into China and according to some hybridized with buddhism very rapidly and so at least one guru has stated that the teachings of buddhism and Toaism in todays world are very difficult to seperate.

    If you have been to a modern airport these days you have seen the escalators that folks use to propel them in getting to their plane on time. Taoism speaks of "the way" .. a kinda escalator available to you but to ride the escalator you must let go of thinking.

    Imagine a poor chap at the airport trying to ride the escalator while at the same time holding on to a stationary object outside of the escalator. The result would be a disaster since the traveler would be being pulled in two directions at the same time.

    In essence some 5,000 years ago this is what Lao Tzu taught and later wrote down in a very brief collection of writings called the "Tao Te Ching". The basics of his teaching was that our dependance or strict reliance on "thinking" hampers us from "feeling" the way in our life. Freeing ourself from thinking allows our being and the universe that being is a part of to "propell us through life" on to our path. We know what to do in our life because something inside moves us .. to go this way. So someone may say " I chose that college because it was right for me." .. but when asked to give reasons for such a choice they may shrug their shoulders and to the dismay of the inquirer they may repeat "It was the right way".

    Buddhism deals with seeing reality more clearly .. it's basic teaching is that the world that we percieve is not as it appears to be. Reality is "illusionary" that is has charecteristics of an illusion. To see through the illusion one must avoid attachment or a fixation on thoughts and emotions.

    So a young student going off to college in a far away land may experience "fear" and this fear may make them choose to attend school closer to home. The student may reason that they will be safer at a school closer to home or rationalize other reasons to stay at a home town college.

    Buddhism would claim that fear is a delusional state of being and one can not see what is the best path while in a delusional state. If the student can put aside the fear for a time then the best choice of college or path for them would be seen clearly and allow the student to select the best college .. it may be the far away college or the one right down the street !!

    So Taoism shows us how to ride the escalator while buddhism allows us to clean off our dirty glasses to see where the escalator is in the first place.

    Cheers ...
  • RedPillAddictRedPillAddict
    edited November 2007
    I see. Thank you for the reply.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited November 2007
    Neat reply, 1ST! That was a good clarification, I like that!
  • starstuffstarstuff
    edited November 2007
    So Taoism shows us how to ride the escalator while buddhism allows us to clean off our dirty glasses to see where the escalator is in the first place.

    Nice metaphore! I like it.
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